June 9th 2023.
Laura Black, a 40-year-old mum of two, recently won the Haggis World Champion title thanks to her family's secret recipe. What makes this story special is that it’s been a part of Laura’s life for 40 years, since her parents bought the shop in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, just months after she was born.
Laura worked part time at the butchers when she was a teenager, and even lent a hand during busy times like Christmas. Little did she know that five years ago, she would give up her career in banking and take over the family business when her father retired.
Her decision to make the career change was mainly to get more free time to spend with her children, but Laura soon realized that running a business has its own unique challenges that come with it. In 2019 she also bought a second shop in Motherwell, where she is from.
The Haggis World Champion title has been a blessing for Cooper Butchers, since orders have increased by 400%. Even more impressive, a dedicated customer made a ten hour trip from Eastborne to get his hands on some haggis, and orders for Burns Night next year are already coming in!
Laura believes that the new generation of cooks has been invigorated by the pandemic, as they weren’t able to go out but realized they could eat well at home with the help of their local butcher. This has enabled customers to get the good quality products at a fraction of the price.
It’s clear that Laura’s award-winning haggis recipe has been a game changer, as Cooper Butchers are making haggis three times a day just to keep up with demand.
Readers can find more information about Laura’s story and the food and drink scene in Scotland in the July issue of Scottish Field magazine.
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